A multi-hued history
After enjoying a light and tangy slice of Chicago-style cheesecake, your next stop on the Chicago dessert tour should be the iconic Rainbow Cone. This beloved treat was created by ice cream enthusiasts Joe and Katherine Sapp, who were determined to offer more than just a single flavor. Their quest for a multi-flavored cone led to the creation of their renowned five-flavor cone.
The classic Rainbow Cone boasts a lively mix of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (a vanilla base with cherries and walnuts), pistachio ice creams, and orange sherbet. Instead of being scooped, each pastel-hued layer is sliced, giving the dessert its distinctive stacked look.
The shop also showcases its signature slice-and-stack technique in other delightful ice cream creations, such as Cosmic Birthday (featuring alternating layers of Superman and birthday cake ice creams) and Orange Dream (a combination of orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream). Naturally, the original Rainbow Cone remains the star of the menu. It is also available as an ice cream sandwich, with the delightful mix of flavors nestled between two sugar cookies, as well as in layered ice cream cakes and chocolatey cake rolls.
A bright future
The Original Rainbow Cone Ice Cream Shop has become a beloved fixture in the Chicagoland area. Alongside its original location in Beverly, the shop has expanded to several spots throughout Chicago's suburbs, with kiosks and trucks appearing at popular tourist destinations like Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, Shedd Aquarium, and Lincoln Park Zoo.
The cherished brand shows no signs of slowing down. In 2019, it joined forces with another Illinois favorite, the family-owned Buona Beef, to enhance its digital presence and expand its reach. "They got us online and set us up on Grubhub and a lot of things I couldn't manage," said Lynn Sapp, the third-generation owner, in an interview with The Chicago Tribune. As ice cream lovers nationwide expressed their desire for the iconic rainbow treats, Rainbow Cone announced its plans to franchise in 2022. Currently, there are Rainbow Cone franchises in Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Florida, with more expected to follow.
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